Thief of Laughter,
Jim Frazee's debut collection of poems, draws from the quiet violence of his youth in Southern California, to Spain during the final reign of Franco, and back again. His narratives embody a faith in humanity, guided by moral instinct, that struggles to make sense of everyday carnage, yet manages to find solace in spite of it. Called by poet Louise Glück "one of the most remarkable people I've ever met," Frazee unmasks the disappearance of childhood under the thumb of an unforgiving father and the chokehold of religion. His work explores themes of guilt, loss, emotion, and the cruelty that often shapes our adult lives, showing us how to endure.